How to Update Your Graphics Driver

Co-authored by Stan Kats

Last Updated: September 30, 2022 Tested

Updating your graphics driver can help resolve existing software problems and enhance your experience as a user. In most cases, you can update your graphics driver via routine automatic or manual software updates.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Updating Graphics Drivers Automatically in Windows

1
Click on the “Start” button.
2
Type “update” into the search box and select “Windows Update” from the available options. The Control Panel will open.

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3
Click on “Check for updates” in the left pane of the Control Panel. A list of available updates will display on-screen.
4
Review the list of updates to find updates for hardware devices, including your graphics card.
5
Place a checkmark next to the graphics driver that needs updating, then click on “OK.”
6
Click on “Install updates.” Windows will update your graphics driver.^{[1]
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Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Updating Graphics Drivers Manually in Windows

1
Click on the “Start” button and select “Control Panel.”
2
Click on “System and Security,” then click on “Device Manager.”
3
Review the list of hardware categories to find the name of your graphics card.
4
Double-click on the name of your graphics card.
5
Click on the “Driver” tab, then click on “Update Driver.”
- If Windows can't find a new driver, you can also try going to the graphics card's manufacturer website and check for the most up to date driver available for your card.
6
Follow the on-screen prompts to update your graphics driver manually.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Updating Graphics Drivers on Mac OS X

1
Click on the Apple menu and select “App Store.”
- If using an earlier version of Mac OS X, select “Software Update.”
2
Click on “Updates” at the top of the App Store window. A list of all available updates will display on-screen.
3
Click on “Update All,” or click on “Update” to the right of “Software Update.” Your computer will update your graphics driver as needed.^{[2]
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Research source}

Community Q&A

Question

How do I install updated drivers?

Community Answer

Try uninstalling them from the Control Panel's Programs menu. On Windows 10, they can also be uninstalled through Settings->Applications. If all else fails, you can use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to get rid of video drivers that won't normally uninstall. Note that DDU has to be run in Safe Mode, and only as a last resort.
Question

Can I install free update drivers?

Community Answer

Yes, your graphics manufacturer should have software available. For NVIDIA, you can use GeForce Experience. For Intel, Intel driver update utility.